Chapter 5
Chapter 5
“Since when do you have a boyfriend?”
I had one foot out the door when Leo grabbed my wrist, his grip firm, almost demanding.
“How come I didn’t know about this?”
His voice was sharp, accusatory.
Heat rushed to my face. Not just because of him, but because of all the eyes on us–including Layla’s.
I yanked my arm free with all the strength I had.
“And why exactly is that any of your business?” My tone was sharp, laced with anger.
I glared at him. “My own parents haven’t even questioned me about it, so what right do you have?”
“Leo, sit down,” his father’s voice was low but stern, cutting through the tension. “This is not how you
behave in front of guests.”
Taking the opportunity, I turned toward the elders, inclining my head politely.
“Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan, thank you for having me. I’ll be taking my leave now.”
Just as I was about to step out, Layla’s gentle, saccharine voice chimed in behind me.
“Well, of course Chloe has admirers. She’s stunning, and with all those performances, I’m sure she’s caught plenty of attention.”
I could hear the smile in her voice.
Then, almost too innocently, she added, “In fact, I noticed earlier–there’s a little mark under her scarf. A hickey, maybe?”
A brief pause followed, as if she had realized what she just said.
“Oh… I didn’t mean anything by it,” she laughed lightly, a faux apology laced in her tone. “I guess we artists just have different personalities. Us painters are a little more reserved, while dancers tend to
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Chapter 5
be… more expressive.”
Another beat of silence.
Then, with the sweetest tone, she added, “But of
se, I respect every girl’s choices.”
I didn’t stick around to hear what was said next.
I didn’t need to.
I knew how this went.
I had always dressed boldly, never shying away from expressing myself through fashion. This wasn’t the first time someone had tried to elevate themselves by contrasting me–turning me into the wild one so they could be seen as refined.
And Leo?
I already knew what he’d say. How he’d laugh along, probably throw in a story or two about my so–called antics, turning me into nothing more than a childhood joke.
But what none of them knew was that while my so–called boyfriend was a lie–my decision to leave, to move away, was entirely real.
For the past few nights, I had been researching places in Florida, looking at apartments, figuring out how to transfer my job there.
I kept myself busy, throwing myself into the logistics, anything to keep from thinking about Leo.
About how we grew up together.
About how, for most of my life, he played the role of the perfect boy–next–door–the one who stood up for me, protected me, made me believe I was safe with him.
When we were kids, he was my hero.
At ten, I begged him to stay with me at the amusement park until nine at night. We were so caught up playing pretend in the sandbox that we completely lost track of time.
Both our parents had been frantic, even calling the police.
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When they finally found us, our hands were covered in sand, still building castles under the dim
park lights.
Leo took all the blame that night.
Even when his father punished him, striking him repeatedly with a leather belt, he never once pointed the finger at me.
I had sobbed, insisting it was my fault, that I was the one who had begged him to stay.
But Leo had only grinned, shoulders relaxed despite the punishment, and said, “Nah, it was all me.”
We grew older.
I became prettier. He became more handsome.
People called us the golden couple, the pair that just made sense.
I thought I had been handed the easiest love story in the world.
I thought we were inevitable.
A notification popped up on my phone.
Leo: When are you free?
I wiped at my eyes.
I hadn’t even finished typing a response when another message appeared.
Leo: Come pick up your stuff. I’m inviting Layla over in a few days.
My fingers curled around my phone.
I inhaled deeply, forcing the tremor from my hands.
Just twenty–four hours ago, we had been curled up on my couch, watching a romance movie.
Just twenty–four hours ago, we had ended up tangled in each other, lost in heat until the early hours of the morning.
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And now…
I let out a quiet, bitter laugh.
Then, with a calmness that felt foreign even to me, Inoved his contact from my pinned list and typed a single reply.
“Okay.”
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